News
ENLARGE
This winter has been a roller coaster ride of weather extremes, thanks to El Nino, the weather condition that moves the winter jet stream rain to California and dry weather to Oregon.
It is hard to remember another year with 10 degrees in early December, 60 degrees in late January, and freezing temperatures in March. If you are an avid gardener like me, you are probably wondering what weather will be next, and whether you should be planting some early season crops.
In most years, late winter or early spring is a great time to plant garlic, onion sets and peas. With a mild January and February this year the soil has warmed nicely, and our fruit trees and perennial plants are off to an early start. The soil temperature is now more than 50 degrees, which tells me it is OK to plant vegetable crops that are tolerant of occasional frosts. Frost-tolerant, cool season vegetable crops include garlic, onions, peas, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce, kale, collards and leeks.
Fruit tree bloom in Douglas County is about three to four weeks earlier than usual this year. You may be wondering if your plum, peach, apricot or other early fruit tree flowers are going to survive coming out so early. In general, if our flowering fruit trees are hit with an occasional frost and the temperature stays above 32, they will survive.
If the temperature drops below freezing to 27-28 degrees, flowers and small fruit can be killed. If the fruit buds are swelling but not fully open, they will be able to survive temperatures down to 27. The more advanced your fruit tree is the less likely its fruits can survive a freeze. I have spoken with several climatologists about our current El Nino condition and have asked them to share a few thoughts about what weather conditions will be most likely in the next few months. The consensus is that the El Nino conditions will continue through spring. That means southwestern Oregon will see occasional rains, but the real wet weather will stay south of us.
Our generally mild weather conditions will continue, but on nights when the sky clears, we will have frosts hitting us right through April. So be patient with your warm season vegetable crop planting and wait until May. But cool season crops should do very well this spring so get out there and get started.
If you have not prepared your soil for planting spring crops, be very careful not to work your soil when it is excessively wet. That can destroy the structure of your soil and create large clods. If possible, plant your cool season veggies with a minimum of tillage. You can scratch a little furrow in the soil and cover your seeds with a small amount of compost. Or place your transplants into the ground with a little trowel work. That will prevent mucking up your soil and creating too much compaction.
Steve Renquist is the horticulture Extension agent for OSU Extension Service of Douglas County. He can be reached by e-mail at steve.renquist@oregonstate.edu or by phone at 541-672-4461.
It is hard to remember another year with 10 degrees in early December, 60 degrees in late January, and freezing temperatures in March. If you are an avid gardener like me, you are probably wondering what weather will be next, and whether you should be planting some early season crops.
In most years, late winter or early spring is a great time to plant garlic, onion sets and peas. With a mild January and February this year the soil has warmed nicely, and our fruit trees and perennial plants are off to an early start. The soil temperature is now more than 50 degrees, which tells me it is OK to plant vegetable crops that are tolerant of occasional frosts. Frost-tolerant, cool season vegetable crops include garlic, onions, peas, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce, kale, collards and leeks.
Fruit tree bloom in Douglas County is about three to four weeks earlier than usual this year. You may be wondering if your plum, peach, apricot or other early fruit tree flowers are going to survive coming out so early. In general, if our flowering fruit trees are hit with an occasional frost and the temperature stays above 32, they will survive.
If the temperature drops below freezing to 27-28 degrees, flowers and small fruit can be killed. If the fruit buds are swelling but not fully open, they will be able to survive temperatures down to 27. The more advanced your fruit tree is the less likely its fruits can survive a freeze. I have spoken with several climatologists about our current El Nino condition and have asked them to share a few thoughts about what weather conditions will be most likely in the next few months. The consensus is that the El Nino conditions will continue through spring. That means southwestern Oregon will see occasional rains, but the real wet weather will stay south of us.
Our generally mild weather conditions will continue, but on nights when the sky clears, we will have frosts hitting us right through April. So be patient with your warm season vegetable crop planting and wait until May. But cool season crops should do very well this spring so get out there and get started.
If you have not prepared your soil for planting spring crops, be very careful not to work your soil when it is excessively wet. That can destroy the structure of your soil and create large clods. If possible, plant your cool season veggies with a minimum of tillage. You can scratch a little furrow in the soil and cover your seeds with a small amount of compost. Or place your transplants into the ground with a little trowel work. That will prevent mucking up your soil and creating too much compaction.
Steve Renquist is the horticulture Extension agent for OSU Extension Service of Douglas County. He can be reached by e-mail at steve.renquist@oregonstate.edu or by phone at 541-672-4461.
